Innovative nanocapsules for skin care

Today, consumers are increasingly aware of healthy lifestyle habits and the environmental footprint of their consumer products. As such, new technologies have been developed to fulfil their needs and expectations. Among them, nanotechnology appeared in numerous industries, creating added value to daily products.

In this context, the project SKHINCAPS – Skin Healthcare by Innovative NanoCAPsuleS – has emerged, focused on an innovative, cost-effective, safe and sustainable in situ self-assembly nanoencapsulation technology, to deliver natural products for skin healthcare applications, with increased efficiency and cost benefits.

The project aims to develop textiles and cosmetics with different functionalities, depending on the nanocapsules’ release mechanism.

For first layer and sports garments, in which the skin comfort is of great importance, no release nanocapsules loaded with paraffin will allow thermal management in accordance with the temperature of the environment, certainly, textiles will feel warmer at low temperatures and cooler during the summer. This effect was maintained even after several washing cycles, as confirmed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (Fig. 1A).

Figure 1. Performance of the developed products and some examples (garments and creams). A.) Enthalpy of the thermal management garments with and without washing cycles. B.) Antioxidant properties (elastase inhibition) for the developed creams. C.) Antibacterial activity in the fabrics treated with essential oils nanocapsules, with washing cycles.

Creams with triggered release nanocapsules which contain a cocktail of vitamins and antioxidants for anti-ageing skincare were also developed, with proven antioxidant activity (Fig. 1B).

To prevent and mitigate bacterial infections on the skin, lotions and textiles with targeted release nanocapsules, which are loaded with essential oils were also developed. The textiles exhibited high antimicrobial activity (according to ISO 20743), even after several washing cycles (Fig. 1C).

The developed products were tested to assure the safety and biocompatibility of the end-user.

To learn more about the projects innovative solutions, please be our guest at the workshop “SKHINCAPS Goes to Market” that will be held in Brussels in September 2019 (more information on the project’s website: www.skhincaps.eu/).

SKHINCAPS has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 685909

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